[ Lota Singhi ]
The origin of Yullo and Myokum came into existence because of negligence by Tani, who is known for his inattentiveness. His wife Bwjiney, a beautiful, smart and wise lady, always tried hard to make her husband Tani attentive and sincere but often failed. Bwjiney named him Tani Nibo Nila for his inattentive nature. During the departure in marriage ceremony of Tani and Bwjiney, Tani’s father-in-law sent him full of blessed gifts. Among those gifts, there was one paahbam dungrang (bamboo tube bottle with tied cap) inside which there were many precious items. Wise and sensible woman Bwjiney told him not to open the paahbam dungrang as there were many precious gifts that could be exposed into the world and greedy people around will be attracted towards it and curse them. Gifts like sound of dogs will attract Hwmey (curse god), goat, chicken, pig. Abotani, without paying heed to her, opened the bamboo jar out of curiosity. As soon as he opened the jar (paahbam dungrang), they heard loud sounds of domestic animals like mithuns, chickens, pigs, etc.
There were many great men who always used to compete against Abotani, such as Myote Sarok (highest deity Yullo), Kyasang (deity who protects you in war or from danger). They started claiming the domestic animals and chased both the couple to kill them and seize the animals. Myote Sarok is the name of Yullo in other term.
Later, beautiful Bwjiney consoled the hungry Myote Sarok and Byago Kyasang. They negotiated and later agreed to accept the offering of Abotani.
Myote Sarok and Byago Kyasang happily accepted the offer. All the domestic animals were given to them in the form of ritualistic conduct which is called Yullo. That is why it is believed that, if we offer domestic animals, the deity will bless us with health and prosperity. This is the only reason why we, the children of Abotani, started offering domestic animals to the deity for seeking blessing and guidance.
But Myokum came much later or after the practice of Yullo. Before the origin of Yullo, there were no practices of any ritualistic offering to the deity. Myokum is another settlement or ritualistic offering tactic to other group of deity in the same platform of Yullo, hence it is called Myokum Yullo.
Myokum started after the territorial dispute of Abotani and Sew (the owner of land and vegetation). Other name of Sew is Yapum, who maintains the balance between man and nature. After several rounds of negotiation, both Abotani and Sew/Yapum came to an agreement with certain conditions on territorial ownership. Many of vegetations were given to deity Sew/Yapum, namely hinyi lwgang-daashang tarik (deformed bamboos and burr trees or weird), sangrik (peepal tree), sew papw (Stephania erecta), sangoh (unusual or weird hole on tree), riyak (creeper fasten knot or constrictor knot), etc. Prohibited territory of Sew/Yapum for Abotani was inaccessible areas such as steep rocky walls or gorge, or ravine, or canyon (in local Nyishi dialect trak/trah). With all the beautiful and accessible land given to Abotani, he grew crops and reared animals. This is why human beings do not use or destroy anything like plants or animals that belong to Yapum. Anyone destroying these things from the prohibited area of Yapum could invite loss of life, or may face family grief or loss of domestic items like eggs, chicken, pigs and mithuns in the ritual (which they have to perform to please the Yapums).
After this incident, Abotani was well-behaved and maintained the condition in the beginning. But in due course of time, population increased and man started to commit mistakes that offended and provoked Yapum. Yapum got angry and started avenging Abotani/human beings for infringing the pledge. Abotani suffered a lot. It was like an epidemic/disease. Then Abotani once again decided to approach for negotiation because without it none of his children would be alive because they all depended on the forest. Finally, after several efforts, Abotani could negotiate with Yapum. They decided that Abotani would perform ritualistic offering to honourable Yapum before the starting of farming or infringement of their conditions which is called Miyoing. It is performed before the beginning of agriculture farming, which ensures blessing from Yapum deity for healthy crops. This ritual also defends them from any disease or rodent that is caused by Yapum. The ritual is performed by making sacrifices of animals like pig, chicken, eggs, etc.
Miyoing is the first step to settle small deity (Yapum Paamchi) of forest and land in a small way. Similarly, when there is a need to go for higher ritual, then it is Myokum Yullo which covers Namchang Ga Kirw (means deity around your settlement), Myokum Gyunpio Ato (deity whom your prayed for advance healing and protection), Diiram Rang (deity in upward mountainous region or higher altitude), Diibo Rang (deity in soft and plain area where agriculture is done), Swlw-Swki Rang (means deity of river side). Those are all deities that man has to offer ritual to in the Myokum. Those deities are usually there around your settlement or inhabited area. In other sense, Myokum is all about Sew or Yapum, who are the owners of land or flora and fauna. And it’s larger ritualistic one, which is performed for the welfare of all the residents in the village, is called Myokum Yullo. Here you need to sacrifice at least one or two mithuns(s) along with chicken, pig, etc. It is a prayer to the owner of the land and the forest to cheerfully bless the human beings when they are felling trees and cultivate.
Without Yullo, there is no Myokum. Yullo is based where Myokum is made and it is the soul of all major rituals in the Nyishi community, for example Nyokum Yullo (ritual for land or forest means Yapum), Gyungpio Yullo (advance ritual offering to prevent human casualty), Swching Yullo (ritual to heal the major ailment in the family). In other sense, Myokum Yullo is an advance ritualistic offering process to seek blessings of the god of land and forest.
For rejoicing Myokum Yullo, every material requirement is already divided since the day division on plant and animals between Abotani and Sew. Plants that are weird belong to Sew or Yapum and they are forbidden to be used in Myokum Yullo. Any wild animal can’t be used in Myokum Yullo because they belong to Sew.
When there is a decision of making Myokum Yullo, the priest asks the almighty of the land and forest and river about how much domestic animals they have obligated. The process may take few days by chanting and through chicken liver prophecy. All the elders who have experience and knowledge about prophecy will examine it and decide the best one. (The views expressed are the writer’s. This daily takes no responsibility for the same.)
